loo ROSES FOR ENGLISH GARDENS 



a few considerations which apply to the art of prun- 

 ing generally. In the first place, the object of 

 pruning is to add increased vigour to the plant, and 

 at the same time to regulate its growth. It is difficult 

 to understand at first, but nevertheless perfectly true, 

 that the more severely a Rose plant is pruned the 

 stronger will be the shoots which result from that 

 apparently murderous treatment. There is also 

 another general rule which naturally arises out of 

 the foregoing, and that is the weaker the plant the 

 more closely it should be cut back, and the more 

 vigorous it is the longer should the shoots be left. 

 As a matter of fact, pruning consists of two operations 

 which are altogether distinct. Firstly, thinning out 

 all the decayed, crowded and otherwise useless shoots ; 

 secondly, the pruning proper, that is to say, the 

 shortening back of the shoots that remain after the thin- 

 ning-out process has been completed. There is no Rose 

 that does not from time to time require some thinning 

 out, but there are many which require very little, if 

 any, shortening back. When removing the useless 

 shoots they should be cut clean out, either down to 

 the base of the plant or to the shoot from which 

 they spring, as the case may be. Then again, in the 

 case of dwarf or bush Roses, the pruner has to decide 

 whether he requires a small number of extra large 

 flowers or a larger number of moderate-sized ones. 

 If the former, both the thinning out and pruning 

 must be severe, whereas in the other case rather more 

 shoots should be allowed to remain, and these may 

 be left longer. After a very cold winter the pruner 



